Beverage package



Oct. 5, 1943. H. A. HARRIMAAJL BEVERGE -,PA'CKAGE Filed Sept. 25, 1941INVENTOR.

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l o A Patented Oct. 5, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEVERAGE PACKAGEHenry A. Harriman, Carnegie, Pa.

Application September 25, 1941, Serial No. 412,273

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a beverage package,

and more particularly to a iiltering bag or capsule containing drybeverage-making material.

One of the objections to tea balls, coiee balls and the like by whichindividual cups of a beverage are made is that the dry beverage materialthat iscontained in the ball or capsule of lter cloth or paper isadversely aiected bylight, air and humidity. This is especially true ofcoffee. It likewise has been undesirable to mix powdered cream and sugarwith the beverage material in a lter bag to flavor it or, rather, tomodify or improve its flavor. When such a mixture in a lter bag isplaced in a cup of hot water to make the desired beverage, the powderedcream and sugar, being mixed with the beverage material, do not alwaysdissolve completely but sometimes produce a beverage which is not sweetenough or does not contain enough cream. Further, the coiee oil hasdeteriorating effect on the cream and sugar, lessening the potability ofthe drink.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a iilteringbeverage package in which the beverage material is hermetically sealed,and in which flavoring material is separated from the beverage materialso as to prevent the latter from adversely affecting the flavoringmaterial and to assure dissolving of all the avoring when the package isimmersed in hot water.

These objects are attained by placing the beverage material in a lteringcapsule and enclosing that capsule by a layer of dried ilavoringmaterial formed into a protective shell that is impervious to light andair.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in vwhich Fig.1 is a side view, partly in section, of my beverage package; Fig. 2 is atransverse section taken on the line lI-II of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is aperspective view of a modified package. t

Although this invention is applicable to tea, cocoa and the like, it is`of especial importance in connection with coffee and therefore will bedescribed accordingly merely for the purpose of illustration. Referringto the drawing, the powdered coffee I, after being roasted and ground isplaced in a capsule 2 of filter paper or cloth that -is Water permeableto permit the diffusion therefrom of all except the insoluble portionsof the colee grounds. After the roasting process it has been foundadvarnaageous kto subject the coffee to known ultra-violet treatments inorder to pasteurize it. For an individual or one-cup serving the capsuleshould hold about a tablespoon full of coilee. The coffee preferablyshould be ground somewhat iiner than drip grind, and yet the grainsshould retain their crystalloid form. If capsule 2 is made of filterpaper, it preferably is formed in two cube-like halves the open ends ofwhich are telescoped together to retain the coffee therein. c

It is a feature of this invention is hermetically sealed in capsule 2 bythe flavoring material that constitutespart of my beverage package.Accordingly, capsule 2 is completely surrounded and enclosed by a shell3 that is formed from the desired quantity of ilavoring material,usually cream and sugar. The sugar may be either granulated or powderedand in an amount of about two teaspoonfuls. The cream is dried, atablespoonful generally being deemed suicient. The cream and sugar areeach compressed in a mold of the desired shape to form a self-sustainingshell. Preferably, each is molded into the shape of a hollow cube openat one side with the two cubes formed for telescoping together insealing engagement to produce the shell. Of course, the inside of theshell is large enough to receive capsule 2 which is placed in the shellbefore the two `parts of th latter are telescoped together. f It is wellknown that light, air and moisture are detrimental to the flavor andaroma of coffee, but, in so far as I know, no effective hermetic sealhas been devised heretofore for coffee balls. I have discovered that alayer or shell of dried cream and/or sugar around a ball of coffee issubstantially impervious to light and air, so .the coffee in my packageis hermetically sealed by its enclosing shell of cream and sugar. Afurther advantage of the outer shell of cream and sugar is that it isseparated from the coffee so that it can not be detrimentally affectedby coiTee oil, and it is in a position where it will be quickly andcompletely dissolved when immersed in hot water. The hermetic sealformed as described above is lvery satisfactory, but to keep the packageclean,

give it a more finished appearance, render it more merchantable, andprotect it against rough handling, the package should be wrapped in aapolished outer surface which may contain coloring matter if desired.

Although coffee can be brewed in various ways by using my coee ball orpackage, I have obtained the best results by placing the package in thatthe coffee a cup and pouring about one-third of a cup of hot water overit and allowing it to stand for about ve minutes. The cream and sugarare dissolved at once and the coffee gradually diffuses into the water.The cup is then filled with boiling water, following which the ltercapsules can be removed. The cup is full of coiee containing sugar andcream and ready to be drunk.

Of course, some packages may be put up containing only coiee and cream,and other only coffee and sugar. The amount of cream and sugar maylikewise be varied. Furthermore, the pack-` age may contain enoughingredients to make a whole pot full o! coffee instead of just a cupfull.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple and construction of my invention and have illustrated and deiscribed what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, Idesire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as speciilcallyillustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A beverage package comprising a. filtering capsule filled with drytea and enclosed by a self-Iorm-sustalnlng shell formed of properamounts of dry ilavoring material to impart a desired flavor to theIbeverage, and a wrapping of lter material surrounding said shell.

2. A beverage package comprising. filtering capsule filled with drycocoa and enclosed by a shell formed of dried cream and sugar, and awrapping of lter material surrounding said shell.

3` A beverage package comprising a filtering capsule niled with drycoiee, a rigid self-sustaining shell enclosing the capsule and formed oftwo parts telescoped together in sealing engagement, one of said partsbeing formed of compressed sugar and the other part of compressed driedcream, a wrapping of lter material surrounding said shell, and ahandling member attached to said wrapping.

4. A beverage package comprising a ltering capsule filled with drybeverage material, a rigid self-sustaining shell enclosing the capsuleand formed of two parts telescoped together in seaiing engagement,saidparts being formed o1' compressed fiavoring material, and a wrappingof filter material surrounding the shell.

HENRY A. HARRIMAN.

